County hotels post occupancy record in 2013

Published: Thursday, July 24, 2014 at 7:01 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, July 24, 2014 at 7:01 p.m.

Visitors to Henderson County spent a record amount on room accommodations in 2013, though the government shutdown caused a small reduction in the number of visitors to the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site.

Henderson County hotels and inns brought in $1.4 million in unaudited occupancy taxes last year, according to Beth Carden, director of the county's Tourism Development Authority.

The increase in visitors could be due to the fact that this generation is vacationing differently than in the past, Carden said. Whereas Baby Boomers would take one annual vacation lasting a week or two, Millenials tend to take multiple three- or four-day weekends throughout the year, Carden said.

“That's a good customer,” she added. “We're always looking to generate new visitors ... but we also depend on repeat visitors.”

To cater to those visitors — and attract them back — Carden said the TDA creates brochures and other marketing material that highlights entertaining events in Henderson County occurring at different times of the year.

“We've expanded our marketing reach and feel like we're bringing a lot more people here,” she said.

The numbers might have been even higher had the federal government shutdown not affected national parks and historic sites during the fall peak season.

According to a report released Thursday by the National Park Service, 81,711 guests visited the Carl Sandburg Home and generated $4.5 million for the area last year — but the home historically sees upwards of 90,000 visitors each year, said Park Superintendent Tyrone Brandyburg.

“We had the government shutdown, and a lot of people took some time getting back to the parks,” he said. “Not just here,” but nationally.

“This (shutdown) was in October, which was peak-season time around here,” said Brandyburg, estimating that about 35 percent of total annual visits to the historic site occur during that month.

He said the park's other most popular visiting month is July, when kids are out of school for the summer.

Carden said July and October are peak months for Henderson County tourism in general.

Brandyburg is optimistic that the number of visitors to the Sandburg home will return to previous levels this October.

“It's going to get back up from the 2013 numbers,” he said. “We're on par to be 90,000 or better.”

<p>Visitors to Henderson County spent a record amount on room accommodations in 2013, though the government shutdown caused a small reduction in the number of visitors to the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. </p><p>Henderson County hotels and inns brought in $1.4 million in unaudited occupancy taxes last year, according to Beth Carden, director of the county's Tourism Development Authority. </p><p>“That's the highest we've ever had in our 26-year history,” Carden said, referring to revenue from the county's 5 percent occupancy tax.</p><p>The increase in visitors could be due to the fact that this generation is vacationing differently than in the past, Carden said. Whereas Baby Boomers would take one annual vacation lasting a week or two, Millenials tend to take multiple three- or four-day weekends throughout the year, Carden said.</p><p>“That's a good customer,” she added. “We're always looking to generate new visitors ... but we also depend on repeat visitors.”</p><p>To cater to those visitors — and attract them back — Carden said the TDA creates brochures and other marketing material that highlights entertaining events in Henderson County occurring at different times of the year.</p><p>“We've expanded our marketing reach and feel like we're bringing a lot more people here,” she said.</p><p>The numbers might have been even higher had the federal government shutdown not affected national parks and historic sites during the fall peak season.</p><p>According to a report released Thursday by the National Park Service, 81,711 guests visited the Carl Sandburg Home and generated $4.5 million for the area last year — but the home historically sees upwards of 90,000 visitors each year, said Park Superintendent Tyrone Brandyburg.</p><p>“We had the government shutdown, and a lot of people took some time getting back to the parks,” he said. “Not just here,” but nationally.</p><p>“This (shutdown) was in October, which was peak-season time around here,” said Brandyburg, estimating that about 35 percent of total annual visits to the historic site occur during that month.</p><p>He said the park's other most popular visiting month is July, when kids are out of school for the summer. </p><p>Carden said July and October are peak months for Henderson County tourism in general.</p><p>Brandyburg is optimistic that the number of visitors to the Sandburg home will return to previous levels this October.</p><p>“It's going to get back up from the 2013 numbers,” he said. “We're on par to be 90,000 or better.”</p><p>___</p><p>Reach McGowan at molly.mcgowan@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7871.</p><p>___</p><p>Follow Molly McGowan on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TNmollymcgowan</p>